Food as medicine: A debated concept

“Food as medicine” is a observe constructed on the data that meals and eating regimen play necessary roles in illness prevention and administration.

There is no such thing as a single definition of the “meals as drugs” idea, however it usually refers to prioritizing meals and eating regimen in a person’s well being plan, with the aim of both stopping, decreasing signs of, or reversing a illness state.

It’s targeted on the elevated consumption of a wide range of entire, minimally-processed plant-based meals, and restricted intakes of extremely processed meals wealthy in added sugar, oil, and salt.

Meals that proponents declare have medicinal properties, usually as a consequence of supposed excessive ranges of a specific micronutrient or biomolecule — generally known as functional foods — are of explicit curiosity by individuals who think about meals as drugs.

These embody a wide range of herbs and spices, legumes, nuts and seeds, entire grains, and vegetables and fruit.

The “meals as drugs” strategy to well being administration challenges the assemble of standard drugs, which depends totally on technological medical developments to handle well being and illness with pharmaceutical medicine.

It’s value noting that standard, Western drugs does prescribe dietary and life-style adjustments as a first-line remedy for some situations, notably polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Nonetheless, the main focus is on the stability of macronutrients within the eating regimen, and there’s as but little readability as to what that ought to appear like in people, as outlined in a paper revealed in Nature.

Listed here are some advantages of a “meals as drugs” healthcare strategy.

Illness administration

Medical nutrition therapy is part of evidence-based well being observe that makes use of eating regimen and meals to help the remedy of ailments, and it’s a clear demonstration of the position that eating regimen and meals play in managing power illness.

As an example, a rise in dietary fiber supports decrease blood sugar ranges in individuals with pre-diabetes or diabetes, decreasing the prevalence of nerve and blood vessel harm related to excessive blood sugar ranges.

Enhancements in eating regimen high quality also can scale back illness signs and enhance high quality of life.

One study suggests {that a} modified Mediterranean eating regimen can scale back ache, fatigue, and discomfort in individuals with lipoedema, a situation the place there’s an irregular accumulation of fats within the decrease extremities.

Likewise, observational research recognized {that a} healthful eating regimen throughout breast cancer remedy could reduce unfavourable signs attributable to most cancers remedy, together with nausea, vomiting, and lack of urge for food.

Price-effective

The prevalence of power ailments has elevated worldwide, together with related healthcare prices.

In 2010, an estimated 86% — over $400 billion — of healthcare prices within the U.S. alone have been as a consequence of treating sufferers with no less than one power illness. These prices are shared between public sources and sufferers’ out-of-pocket bills.

Utilizing “meals as drugs” may conceivably scale back healthcare prices by probably decreasing illness severity by means of higher labwork, fewer drugs, and fewer hospitalizations.

Nonetheless, the problems and insurance policies surrounding food apartheid and access to healthful meals amongst low-income communities throughout the U.S. that help improved well being and decrease healthcare prices should frequently be addressed.

“Meals as drugs,” nevertheless, is just not an strategy with out flaws. Listed here are a few of its limitations.

It isn’t a cure-all

“Meals as drugs” is just not a stand-alone treatment for all well being situations.

The event of power ailments continues to be complicated and could also be attributed to non-diet-related causes, together with genetic risk, publicity to environmental toxins, or autoimmune situations.

Thus, whereas “meals as drugs” could help illness administration by enhancing signs and slowing illness development in some ailments, it should not be used as a stand-alone remedy, slightly at the side of acceptable medical remedy.

Fueled by misinformation

Social media could be an efficient supply of well being promotion amongst well being professionals and organizations.

Nonetheless, it may also be a supply of misinformation and sharing of unverifiable data, particularly the place “meals as drugs” or different medicinal therapies are involved.

As outlined in Food Isn’t Medicine by nutritionist Dr. Joshua Wolrich, the vilification of particular person meals can result in unhealthy consuming behaviors.

Drug-nutrient interactions

It is usually necessary to think about how meals work together with drugs. That is known as drug-nutrient interplay, which can improve or interrupt the impact of a drugs within the physique.

A typical instance is grapefruit juice, which medical doctors usually advise must be avoided when taking some drugs, though some analysis reveals that it could enhance the impact of cholesterol-lowering statins.

Drug-nutrient interactions have to be thought of for the seamless relationship of “meals as drugs” and acceptable medical interventions in the very best curiosity of affected person care.

“Meals as drugs” could also be an rising idea within the Western world, however many cultures across the globe have lengthy acknowledged the position of eating regimen in well being.

Numerous wholesome diets excessive in fruits, greens, entire grains, nuts and seeds, lean protein, and low-fat dairy may scale back the chance related to the event of power ailments, together with coronary heart illness, and sort 2 diabetes.

Nonetheless, “meals as drugs” is just not a treatment for all and must be used at the side of acceptable medical remedy.